Multi-panel display rack latch



0, 1957 F. D. HOOSE 2,803,477

'MULTI-PANEL DISPLAY RACK LATCH Filed Aug. 15, 1955 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 in ID ill-g1 v R JINVENTUR I Fen/val: Dam/E H0055 20, 957 F. D. HOOSE I 2,803,477

MULTI-PANEL DISPLAY RACK LATCH Filed Aug. 15, v 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nited States Patent 2,803,477 MULTI-PANEL DFSPLAY RACK LATCH Francis D. House, Elwood, Ind., assignor to Monticello Manufacturing Corporation, Elwood, Ind. Application August 15, 1955, Serial No. 528,250 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-87) This invention relates to means for interlatching along adjacent edges of panels of a display rack.

In the form now best known to me and as illustrated herein, the rack comprises a plurality of panels each hinged along the vertical edge to an adjacent panel, having two vertical sides of corresponding panels detachably interlatched one to the other.

The display rack is preferably made out of rods or more properly wire in a skeletonized manner whereby, in the present showing, certain of the wires in each panel carry a plurality of clips under which are engaged upper ends of bags of the commodity being displayed and held for mechandising.

The display rack is a self-supporting structure which may be collapsed into a more or less fiat condition for shipping and storing, and then set up for use by rocking the members in their hinged interconnections into a polygonal shape, the structure then presents two unconfined vertical edges, and it is the latching together of these two edges with which the invention is involved. In referring to the forming of a polygonal sectional structure, it is to be understood that the minimum number of angles or sides may be three or even more depending upon the extent of panel areas and transverse widths as may be desired.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly simple latching means which may be formed out of wire and which will occupy a minimum amount of space and yet be very positive in its securing of the members, and yet be operable by hand.

A still further important object of the invention is to form the latch mean-s into that state which will be along the vertically disposed panel edges and confined thereto without any opportunity of the public disengaging the latches when the merchandise is being removed from the rack. Also the invention provides a structure which offers no sharp protrusions from the rack.

A still further important object of the invention resides in forming the latch means by simple bending operations all in the absence of having to use separately moving parts or separate springs and the like commonly associated with latches.

Still further, it is to be pointed out that the invention permits a structure being made which is relatively low in cost of production and yet will remain operable over many years of life of the rack.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of the one particular form as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan;

Fig. 3 is a detail in vertical elevation of the original positioning of elements prior to the latching operation;

Fig. 3-A is a transverse section on the line 3A3A in Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a like view in elevation of the same detail with the latching operation carried further;

Pig. 4-A is a transverse section on the line 4A-4A in Fig. 4;

Fig. 5 is a similar view in elevation of the detail showing the latching operation completed;

Fig. 5-A is a transverse section on the line 5A-5A in Fig. 5;

Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation of the latch structure in its latched condition.

The structure as shown, in its simplest form, consists of three panels 10, 11, and 12. Panels 10 and 11 are identical in construction. Panel 12 is based upon a plurality of cross bars, herein shown as five in number, and designated by the numerals 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 in order beginning with the uppermost bar 13.

The panel 12 has a pair of vertically disposed and transversely spaced apart bars 18 and 19 extending across and secured to the bars 13, 14, 15, and 16. As indicated in Fig. 1, bar 16 is spaced above the lower end of the panel. These bars 18 and 19 are interconnected with the cross bars 13, 14, 15, and 16 in any suitable manner such as by welding.

Two stub legs 26 and 21 are provided, to extend across and be secured to the cross bars 15 and 16, and also the bar 17. The legs 20 and 21 have upturned end portions 22 and 23 which are also secured to the bar 17. The end portion 22 interconnects with the leg 20 through a bend 24, and likewise the leg portion 21 interconnects with the portion 23 by a bend 25, these bends 24 and 25 forming bearing feet for support of this panel 12.

Each of the bars 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 have end portions bent around into eyes 26, having their axes vertically aligned.

Each of the panels 10 and 11 is inverted U-shaped. The panel 11, has vertically disposed legs 27 and 28 interconnected at their upper ends by the transverse bar 29, these members 27, 28, and 29 preferably being integrally formed such as by bending the wire or bar forming these members from a single length.

Lower ends of these side members 27 and 28 which define the side edges of the panel 11 terminate at their lower ends through bends 30 and 31 into upturned legs 32 and 33 in turn welded to a tie bar 34 which has its ends welded to the members 27 and 28 near their lower ends, Fig. 1. Spaced above the tie member 34 is a second tie member 35.

A pair of vertically positioned, and spaced apart rods 36 and 37 have their lower ends welded to the tie member 35 and extend upwardly in parallel relation to have upper end portions welded to the cross member 29. On these two members 36 and 37 are carried clips 38 for receiving and detachably holding bags containing the goods to be displayed and merchandised. The panel 10 is an exact duplicate of panel 11, and hence does not need to be described in detail other than to set out that the vertical edge member of the panel 10 is designated by the numeral 39, Figs. 3-6. Also the panel 10 has a vertically disposed edge member 40. The panel edge members 28 and 40 are received slidably through the eyes 26 at the respective vertical edges of the panel 12. In order to prevent vertical travel of the respective panels 10, 11, and 12, one in respect to the other, the upper transverse bar 13 is adjacent the upper ends of the panels 10 and 11, such as is indicated in Fig. 1 where the bar 13 is adjacent the cross member 29. Also the bar 16 is adjacent to the bar 35, the bar 16 being on the top side of the bar 35 whereas the bar 13 is on the under side of the bar 29. The same interrelationship holds in respect to the panel 10 being carried by the panel 12.

A hairpin member in the nature of a keeper is formed to have two horizontally disposed legs 41 and 42 secured and spaced apart in parallel relation by being welded to the members 39 and 40 of the panel 10, with a portion extending outwardly beyond the member 39 designated by the numeral 43 and interconnecting the legs 41 and 42 by a straight length parallel to and spaced outwardly from the member 39, Fig. 3. The spacing of the portance equal to the diameter of the portion 43. This venient for latch manipulation.

The panel 11 carries latching members generally designated by the numerals 46 and 47. Each of these members 46 and 47 is identical one with the other. Referring to the keeper member 46, this member has a pair of spaced apart, horizontal, and parallel legs 48 and 49 fixed to the edge member 27 and carried therefrom across to the edge member 28, Fig. 1. The spacing apart of the members 48 and 49 is such that the legs 41 and 42 of the keeper member 44 may be received freely therebetween but in a guiding manner without appreciable vertical travel. The two legs 48 and 49 are interconnected at their outer ends by a ,V-shaped bar 50 wherein the bar 50 has a central inwardly extending bend 51 to give the overall shape of the member 46 the shape of the Greek letter Sigma wherein the legs 48 and 49 are elongated upper and lower portions thereof. The latching members 46 and 47 are made out of a one piece of rod or wire of the same diameter preferably as that of the keeper member44.

Operation The panels 10, 11, and 12 are set up and hinged to take on their triangular relation as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and the members 27 and 39 brought up one toward the other. The panel edge member 27 is brought up to be along the sides of the keeper members 44 and 45, to have their outer vertically disposed members 43 come on the inside of the member 27, Figs. 3 and 3A. Pressure is applied to the outer bar 50 of the latching member 46 tending to carry the bend 51 between the vertical bar 43 and the edge member 39, Figs. 4 and 4A. This causes the member 27 to tend to travel around the bar 43 in order to carry the bend 51 between the member 43 and the panel member 39. a

Continued pressure on the member 50' causes the member 27 to snap relatively around the bar 43 to bring the bend 51 between the bar 43 and the wire 39 to shift the vertical bar 43 outwardly and around the member 27 whereupon the edge member 39 comes up along the side of the member 50 to extend through the member 4, and have the bend 51 also lie adjacent the edge member 27 and between the legs 48 and 49 in order to permit the travel as described, whereupon the member 50 will tend to snap back into its plane with those legs 48 and .49. The keepers 44 and 45, and the latching members 46 and 7 are each made out of an elastic wire whereby distortion from their originally formed shapes will permit the members to return to those original shapes when the pressure of distortion is removed.

The same operation is carried out in respect to the members 45 and 47.

To disengage the latching means, pressure is applied at the bend 51 such as by two fingers of the operator with the thumb on the member 27 or 43 so' that the bar 5% may be again distorted and slipped out from around the members 27 and 43.

Therefore, it is to be seen that I have produced an extremely simple, durable, and most novel construction for the purposes indicated. While I-have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the'limitations which may be imposed by the, following claims. 2 I 11 I claim:

1. In a display rack, spring latch means detachably interengaging a first and second panel, comprising in combination adjacent, substantially parallel edge portions of said panels; a wire loop keeper member fixed to said first panel and having a wire length spaced from and parallel to said edge portion thereof; an elongated V-shaped latching, elastic wire member carried by said second panel and extending in part beyond said edge portion thereof with the apex of the V overlying and normally bearing against said second panel edge portion; the spacing of said wire length from said first panel edge portion being approximately equal to the diameter of said V wire member; said V member being inserted between said wire length and said first panel edge portion setting up a bending of the V memberspacingsaid apex from said second panel edge portion and therebyv urging said wire length toward a position overlapping the second panel edge portion.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said keeper member comprises a pair of legs secured along one side of and extending beyond the first panel and said wire length interconnects the ends of the extending legs whereby the wire length is positioned to one side of the first panel edge portion; and said latching member comprises a pair of legs fixed along and extending from a side of the second panel adjacent said side of the first panel, and said V-shaped portion of the, latching member lies between the extending ends of the last named legs; and the outermost extending ends of the keeper member legs fitting closely between the outermost extending ends of the latching member legs.

p 3. A display rack comprising a first and second panel in non-parallel arrangement, each panel having an edge portion one adjacent the other; and panel interlatching means comprising a generally U-shaped keeper member consisting of a pair of legs extending along and fixed to one side of said first panel and extending outwardly from said edge portion thereof, and a straight wire length parallel to and spaced from that edge portion and interconnecting the outer ends of said legs; and a keeper latching member consisting of a pair of wire legs extending along and fixed to one side of said second panel adjacent said side of the first panel and extending outwardly beyond said edge portion thereof, and an elongated V'-shaped, elastic wire member having legs extending from an apex fixed respectively by their ends to respective outer ends of the latching member wire legs with the apex of the V member directed inwardly between said last legs and across said second panel edge portion, with intermediate portions of the V member wire leg on each side of said apex overlapping and in normal approximate contact with the second panel edge portion; said V member extending between said keeper member extended leg portions and between said first panel edge portion and said keeper member straight wire length; the first panel edge portion being limited in travel across said second panel edge port1on by said latching member outer leg ends lying in the path thereof, and further being limited in travel away from the second panel edge portion by said latching V member legs lying in the path of the keeper member straightwire length.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which the spacing apart of said first panel edge portion and said straight wire length provides a sliding fit of said V member legs therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,182,901 Gillespie May 16, 1916 1,274,800 1Sketteno Aug. 6, 1918 1,624,517 Stamp Apr. 12, 1927 1,651,523 Hamlin 'Dec; 6, 1927 2,186,883 Robinson Jan. 9, 1940 2,452,920 Gardner Feb. 20, 1951 2,681,744 Averill June 22, 1954 

